Frequently asked questions

Can Tip-off information be subpoenaed?

Unlike confidential information from doctors, lawyers and journalists that can be subpoenaed, we don't believe that any legal basis exists
for the information, which we gather and store, to be subpoenaed.

Additional support for this view comes from the Constitution and the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act 26 of 2000. Protecting the
anonymity of the caller and the confidentiality of the information lies at the very heart of our service and we have a fundamental interest
in protecting the identity of anyone making contact with us.

Can clients listen to or read information received by the contact centre?

Absolutely not! This would obviously discourage callers from using the hotline and undermine the anonymity of our service. Clients can, however, call the contact centre
manager and request that the call be listened to again to ensure that any specific questions are answered, but at all times respecting the anonymity wishes of the caller.

How do we know that the contact centre personnel will respect the confidentiality of the information that they are exposed to?

Our personnel are very carefully selected and undergo intensive background checking before they commence work in the contact centre. Contact centre agents also subject themselves to on-going checks and declarations to ensure that we can identify, at an early stage, the likelihood of any personnel becoming victims of blackmail, becoming involved in any inappropriate or criminal activity or whose integrity becomes impaired.

Can the contact centre trace calls to the sender?

No! The contact centre does not make use of caller line identification technology.

There is obviously a risk that the identity of callers can be established by their organisations as a result of telephone, fax and e-mail tracking activities within their work environment.

Who has access to the information reported to the contact centre?

Tip-off reports are sent only to designated client personnel nominated by our clients. Typically, these are persons who are in senior operational, financial or risk management positions. Further, in the event that these senior persons are implicated in tip-off reports, our clients specify the name(s) of an independent person or persons, who ideally are not involved in the day-to-day operations of your organisation - such as the audit committee chairman.

Under no circumstances will we forward any tip-off information to any other person within or outside your organisation without the prior consent of our client.

Does Tip-offs Anonymous get involved in following up or investigating tip-offs?

The core business of Tip-offs Anonymous is the provision of a professional and anonymous hotline service. The investigation and follow-up of tip-off reports is the responsibility of our client.
In extraordinary cases, and with the client's consent, Tip-offs Anonymous can however refer the matter to Deloitte's Forensic Department and / or an independent forensic party.

Why would you want to blow the whistle?

Simple, you as an employee have to take a stand against any form of crime. If you believe it does not affect you, you’re wrong.

By taking this stance, you in effect assist the company from going out of business. You create a safe and crime free environment for yourself and your co-workers.

How can I be assured that my identity will be protected?

When you call the Tip-offs Anonymous contact centre you are not required to give your name or any personal details, unless the laws and regulations in your local jurisdiction do not approve / authorize anonymous reporting.

Secondly, there is no caller identification so we do not know from where the call
was made. Even though we record all the calls, your company will never have access to the recordings so no-one will be able to identify your voice. We also have report analysts on site who ‘sanitise’
every call, which means that they strip out any information that could lead to the identity of the caller, so your company only gets a very factual report of the alleged wrong-doing with no
additional information.

What is the tracking/ reference number used for at the Contact Centre?

The tracking number is your reference number that relates to the incident that you have reported. Should you wish to add more information to a report at a later stage, you can call back and quote the
reference number and just give the agent the additional information or should you wish to follow up on you Tip-off report made, you can call back and quote the reference number and we can give you
feedback on the investigation provided that your company provides Tip-offs Anonymous with feedback.